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Pelvicachromis
taeniatus

The many
varieties of Pelvicachromis taeniatus are among the most colorful of
the West African dwarf cichlids. There are a large number of different
named varieties of P. taeniatus that are offered on occasion.
Unfortunately, the collecting area for this species is remote and
poorly explored. There are obvious color differences in populations
that are found in Nigeria and the more northern and southern parts of
Cameroon. However, there are countless intermediate forms and
identification of aquarium specimens is almost impossible without
exact collection data.

click
to enlarge

This pair
of
Pelvicachromis taeniatus shepherds their flock fry quite carefully.
They
will continue to care for the fry for as much as 4 months. It is not
unusual to have several different ages of youngsters in the tank at the
same time.

Unfortunately, even with
exact
collection information it is still
possible that a given name is wrong as there are many accounts of fish
collected from the exact same locality introduced to the hobby under
different names.

Pelvicachromis. taeniatus are
typical of the genus. They usually form
strong pair bonds and both parents will share in tending the fry. P.
taeniatus will often be slow to mature and are often several years old
before they successfully pair up and reproduce. They do best
in soft
water with a pH of about 6 at a temperature of 78°F. They will take
most frozen and prepared foods but be sure their diet contains a
significant amount of vegetable matter. Although they relish live foods
they will benefit greatly from vegetables in their diet.

This Pelvicachromis taeniatus
female is typical of the forms from Southern Cameroon

Pelvicachromis taeniatus are
often easy
aquarium residents. A bonded pair makes a great addition to a community
tank and in a single species tank they will provide hours of
fascinating behavior and colorful displays.

It is not common
to find Pelvicachromis taeniatus in local pet stores, although, some
stores do have them on occasion. Pelvicachromis taeniatus are
sometimes

This male Pelvicachromis shows the
bright red cheek stripe that many
use as a diagnostic tool for identifying the strain. However, this
stripe can be extremely variable among individuals.

imported
with common kribs (Pelvicachromis pulcher). So,
If you find a shop with a tank full of wild
kribs take agood
hard look and you might find an unexpected gem.

Until recently it was
quite difficult to find Pelvicachromis taeniatus from breeders or
specialists. However, in the past few years it has become common to see
various strains of this species offered for sale. If you are looking
for a source check out our Buying
Fish section.

In
summary, the
various forms of Pelvicachromis taeniatus are colorful and interesting
dwarf cichlids. They are fairly easy to maintain and breed and are
highly recommended to all fish keepers.